Campus Chef Position Description

Position Description

Chef / Cook

Report To: Campus Manager/ Nominated Supervisor

Job Title and Description: The Employer agrees to employ the Employee as the Centre Chef/ Cook. While employed as the Centre Chef/Cook, the Employee's job description and duties are as follows:

Experience, Qualifications and Training

Relevant qualifications in accordance with Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011.
Current first aid, CPR, anaphylaxis and asthma training with certification.
Current Working with Children Check with certification,
Knowledge of current Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011.
Appropriate skills, knowledge and training in food safety and hygiene as required under the Food Safety Legislation.
Willingness to pursue further study in Nutrition for young children.

Position Objectives

The role of the Chef / Cook is to plan, prepare and provide nutritional balanced meals for the children in the care of the Centre throughout the day.
Maintain a clean and healthy work environment at all times.

Key Performance Indicators

Woodlands Values
To Thrive		When we use “thrive” when speaking of educating children we mean we are not content with just doting “i”s and crossing ‘t”s. We create environments for children to flourish, to be set up for success, to grow strong and healthy, to make progress, to expand their learnings – to thrive
Respect		You must have conviction. Respectfully challenge when you disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting; do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion. But once a decision is made, we will commit to it wholeheartedly and leave ego at the door.
Relate		We know time is valuable, time for your family, time for fun, time for Woodlands. We need to communicate and ensure each team member understands the pressure of time and time management. Clearly communicating goals, actions and evaluations each day is of prime importance.
Reflect		Our reflections embrace the concept of serving. We want to provide the best service for our families. We start with the family and work backwards to be able to provide a service that matches their expectations. Reflection on the services we provide is honest, respectful, agile and outcome driven.
Agility		Agility of mind and agility of learning – Agility of mind creates and embraces change, accepts that you don’t know everything, adapts, improves. The agile learning environment is and educational space that is intentionally designed to be adjustable, exchangeable and moveable. Agile learning adapts to individual differences in environment, children,staff, cultures – the total environment. Agile learning creates differentiated learning awareness and is promoting a movement toward adjustment and adaptation of content, process, product and the learning environments.
Sustainability		Sustainability is not just recycling and having the “bins” to separate one piece of garbage from the other – it is so much more. Woodlands does not recycle, we upcycle. Sustainability and upcycling at Woodlands is encouraged in everything we do daily and includes and continues to grow. At all Woodland Campuses we have – solar generation of power, gardens to encourage “plant to Plate”, use sustainable products in the children’s furniture and equipment, use recycled art supplies including paper, make links with the community to upcycle single use materials including tyres, paper, make our own paint and glue.

NQS Quality Area 1: Educational Program and Practice
2	Skills	The employee uses a variety of teaching skills and is flexible and respectful in their approach. The employee uses both intentional teaching and spontaneous teachable moments to enhance children’s learning and development, both in the general program and routines. The employee’s engagement with children is purposeful with learning intentions.
3	Responsiveness	The employee demonstrates responsiveness to children’s interests, culture, ability, knowledge and ideas, and uses this to plan the program while also utilising spontaneous moments to engage children in learning. The employee demonstrates flexibility in all aspects of the program to ensure that each child is supported to engage in the program, and that children are encouraged to make decisions about their engagement and to influence their world.

NQS Quality Area 2: Children’s Health and Safety
5	Knowledge	The employee has a sound knowledge of children’s health and medical requirements, and uses this information to provide an environment that is responsive to children’s needs and requirements. This includes understanding best practice in nutrition, exercise and the need for rest. The employee has a sound knowledge of how to protect children, including policies and procedures for dealing with and minimising the risk of infectious disease, emergencies and incidents, harm and hazards, the treatment of medical conditions and first aid, and child protection legislation, including the Child Safe Standards.
6	Skills	The employee role-models and includes in their everyday program and practice, encouragement for children to develop healthy and active lifestyles. The employee is able to acknowledge, identify and provide opportunities to meet children’s individual health needs and requirements for nourishment, comfort, physical activity and rest, and utilises skills gained from relevant training or refers to those with relevant training. The employee is able to demonstrate skills in identifying hazards for children, including those who may be at risk of abuse or neglect, and also recognises concerns within the immediate environment.
7	Responsiveness	The employee demonstrates responsiveness to children’s health needs and medical conditions, and takes appropriate action when required. The employee participates in healthy meal preparation and/or eating, and physical activity with the children, as well as incorporates strategies to teach children how to be restful. The employee responds to hazards in the environment, emergencies and incidents (including illnesses) promptly, can identify children at risk of abuse or neglect and follows policies and procedures in dealing with such issues. The employee demonstrates responsiveness to supervision requirements and works within a team to ensure that reasonable precautions are made to protect children from harm and hazard. The employee demonstrates sound reflective practice in their ability to identify the health and safety needs of children.
8	Documentation	The employee completes or contributes to the completion of appropriate documentation in relation to emergencies, incidents (including accident/injury/ trauma/illness), infectious disease control, safety audits and observational requirements, as required under the service’s policies and procedures.

NQS Quality Area 3: Physical Environment
9	Knowledge	The employee has a sound knowledge of policies and procedures regarding the building and equipment. This includes knowledge of how to use structural and operational equipment such as cleaning equipment (e.g. vacuum cleaners), flexible equipment (e.g. sand pit covers, trolleys, dividers and doors, portable climbing equipment), operating systems (e.g. air-conditioning and heating, security system) and kitchen equipment (e.g. refrigerators, ovens, safety hot water service) etc. The employee demonstrates sound knowledge in accessing and providing stimulating environments and experiences for all children that are inclusive, purposeful and flexible. Employees understand the importance of having strong links to the natural environment, and maximises the use of the building, facilities, materials and equipment. The employee demonstrates sound knowledge in sustainability practices and promotes this across the service with other employees, children and their families.
10	Skills	The employee takes an active part in utilising the building to its fullest capacity, minimising carbon emissions and maximising sustainable measures. The employee applies knowledge of the building facilities, materials and equipment, and sustainability measures, to their everyday practice in educating and caring for children in a manner that is inclusive and supports play-based learning.
11	Responsiveness	The employee demonstrates responsiveness to the presentation of the environment by noticing and following up on facilities, materials and equipment that need repairing, cleaning and/or replacing. The employee contributes to arranging the environment and providing experiences and materials for children that enable play based learning in their progress towards the five learning outcomes. The employee responds to the children’s participation in the environment and demonstrates flexibility in the use of materials and equipment, and arrangement of the spaces within the environment, to be inclusive of all children.
12	Documentation	The employee completes or contributes to the completion of appropriate documentation in relation to reporting maintenance items, safety checks and contributing ideas when purchasing new equipment and materials. The employee contributes to documenting progress in providing a sustainable future, including their own practices and progress of embedded sustainable practices of the children

NQS Quality Area 4: Staffing Arrangements
13	Knowledge	The employee demonstrates sound knowledge of ethical behaviour, professional practice and appropriate codes of conduct, as outlined in the service’s policies and procedures.
14	Skills	The employee demonstrates an awareness of the capacity, skills and strengths of their colleagues and works collaboratively, sharing knowledge and contributing respectfully and appropriately. The employee is able to critically reflect upon their own performance to drive their own improvement in professional practice.
15	Responsiveness	The employee is proactive in acknowledging the skills and strengths in colleagues and works collaboratively to implement the program by adopting best practice that reflects professional standards and utilises individual skills and talents. The employee is active in supporting their colleagues to recognise their potential and strengths, and to learn from one another, and guides others in professional reflection to improve practice as a team and further develop skills. The employee demonstrates professionalism at all times in their responsiveness to children, families, colleagues and the wider community.
16	Documentation	The employee completes or contributes to the completion of appropriate documentation in relation to reflective journals of best practice, reporting concerning behaviour of a fellow colleague (if applicable), relevant legislative forms and documents regarding staffing arrangements. The employee completes documentation relating to their individual performance plan.

NQS Quality Area 5: Relationships with Children
18	Skills	The employee demonstrates sensitivity and patience, and uses a non-biased approach to supporting children’s wellbeing, maintaining their dignity and respect. The employee provides opportunities for children to learn how to work collaboratively with each other, promoting a sense of democracy.
19	Responsiveness	The employee contributes to a responsive and predictable environment, creating an atmosphere of positivity for children and supporting them to develop a sense of trust and belonging. The employee is responsive to children’s participation in the program, and supports them to engage, develop a sense of trust in the employee and others, and build confidence. The employee is proactive in responding to children’s abilities in regulating their own behaviour and demonstrates a calm and supportive approach to guiding children’s behaviour, when resolving conflicts.

NQS Quality Area 6: Collaborative partnerships with Families and Communities
22	Skills	The employee demonstrates respectful relationships with parents and their involvement in their child’s learning and wellbeing, diversity in child rearing practices and lifestyle choices, and family preferences. The employee adopts a proactive and responsive attitude to working with external organisations and links such as inclusion support services, community agencies and the local community, that will enable support for the child and family. The employee demonstrates skill in effectively implementing transition experiences that are relevant and meaningful to children and support them as they move from one style of learning environment to another, including other early childhood education and care settings and schools.
23	Responsiveness	The employee is proactive in involving parents in the decision-making process regarding planning for their child and works in partnership, exchanging meaningful information to support the child’s progress and individual needs. The employee is responsive to children’s needs and uses a respectful and professional approach to working with families when there may be concerns regarding their child’s behaviour, learning or development.

NQS Quality Area 7: Governance and Leadership
Note: Please select or develop areas applicable to your service, and appropriate to the leadership role
25	Knowledge	The employee demonstrates sound knowledge and understanding of the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 and the Education and Care Services National Regulations and operates in compliance at all times. The employee demonstrates knowledge of additional legislation such as the Privacy Act, Discrimination Act, Equal Opportunity Act and Disability Act, and acts in accordance with this legislation. The employee has read and understands the policies and procedures of the service and how to apply them in practice.
26	Skills	The employee contributes to promoting a positive and effective working environment and works in accordance with the requirements of their position description. The employee demonstrates skills in performing administration and operational duties, is efficient and thorough, and attends to the required detail.
27	Responsiveness	The employee demonstrates commitment to continuous improvement, both in the development of the service and through their own individual development plan. The employee is proactive in working towards their individual goals and the goals of the service. The employee contributes effectively and positively to the self-assessment process of the service and demonstrates commitment by attending to areas of improvement that they are responsible for, as outlined in the service’s Quality Improvement Plan (QIP). The employee demonstrates responsiveness and professional behaviour when dealing with feedback, and applies reflective practice to their everyday work. The employee diligently follows policies and procedures that have been established by the service and provides feedback when appropriate and in a professional manner.
28	Documentation	The employee completes, or when appropriate, supports the completion of the following documentation according to legislative requirements and develops reports where necessary, ensuring that these are maintained in a confidential manner: enrolment and other records (such as staff records, medication records and accident/injury/illness/trauma records) serious incidents that are reportable to the regulatory authority within specified time frames record of complaints and action taken in response to any complaints administrative procedures according to their position description (e.g. accounting, ordering supplies, logging correspondence, food safety audits, WorkSafe audits, maintenance checklists and reports etc.).

Requirements of the Position

Plan nutritionally balanced meals consisting of five-food groups over the course of a day.
Periodically and seasonally review menu plans and communicate with Nominated Supervisor.
Plan menus and communicate to families daily by uploading the daily menu on Xplor.
Ensure complete familiarity with special dietary needs of the children in the centre and discuss with the Campus Manager and Lead Educator on how these needs will be met.
Ensure an up to date listing of children's special dietary needs is displayed in the kitchen at all times.
Responsibility for maintaining and developing (in conjunction with the Nominated Supervisor) the "Food Safety Program" as per guidelines and regulations.
Continuously practice best practices for children and professionals.
Building trusting relationships with parents and families and confidently be able to discuss menu plans, supporting children with dietary requirements and planning of nutritionally balanced meals.
Demonstrate highly developed oral communication skills with parents, families, children and educators.
Demonstrate a high standard of literacy and written communication skills for documenting planned meals, and menus.
Demonstrate effective leadership, interpersonal and supervisory skills.
Work within Legislation to ensure service provision is equitable.
Ability to develop and work within budgets, and maintain kitchen equipment and report to Nominated Supervisor if equipment needs to be replaced.
Ability to deal calmly and effectively with a number of urgent matters at once.
Sound knowledge of current childcare best practices in Children's Health and Safety relation to The National Quality Standards.
Conduct regular assessment of the hygiene standards of the kitchen.
Conduct regular assessment of the health and safety standards of the kitchen, reporting any issues to the Workplace Health and Safety Officer,
Maintain cleanliness in the kitchen as outlined in the Food Safety Plan at all times.
Sound knowledge of child health including nutritional requirements, infectious diseases and Infection control.
Emptying of bins, re lining daily and disinfecting weekly.
Ensuring safety standards by keeping the floor swept and free of grease, water or any food.
Ensure regular hand washing during the day, between preparation of food groups, after engaging in cleaning, upon returning to the kitchen, before preparing of food and where necessary to minimise the spread of germs.
Sound knowledge of the policies, procedures and philosophy of the service.
Sound knowledge of financial management including budget development and review of expenditure against budget, when planning menus and completing ordering of goods.
Develop and maintain information systems for effective communication with families, and educators in regards to meal preparation and meeting children's needs in regards to feeding and bottles.
Ensure the service is meeting the needs of families by seeking regular feedback.
Working with Children and staff to maintain a vegetable, fruit, herb, edible area at Woodlands using produce in meals at the centre.
Promote cooking experiences with Children and parents.
Develop a recipe journal to share with parents.

Occupational Health and Safety

The Lead Chef is appointed the role of 'Deputies' In the event of a Emergency, the Deputies should:

Be capable of performing their duties.
Have leadership qualities and command authority.
Have maturity of judgement, good decision-making skills and be capable of remaining calm under pressure.
Be available to undertake their appointed duties and spend most of their time at, or near, their workstations.
Be capable of effectively communicating with occupants and visitors.
Be capable of deputizing for other positions.
Be able to undergo relevant training.
Agree to attend and participate in regular training for Emergency Procedures, including but not limited to; fire evacuation (drills) rehearsals, full evacuation (off-site), partial evacuation (on-site) and lockdown procedures.
Ensure sound understanding for Emergency Procedures and individuals roles and responsibilities when completing including but not limited to; fire evacuation (drills) rehearsals, full evacuation (off-site), partial evacuation (on-site) and lockdown procedures
Ensure sound understanding of Primary Assembly Points: the area at the top of the driveway in front of the skip and Secondary Assembly Points: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Primary School Multi Purpose Room, and the Convent Paddock at the end of John St Sunbury. In the event of Bushfire Emergency Evacuation the evacuation point is the car park at the rear of the Sunbury Global Learning Centre.

Food Preparation

Preparation of meals, including but not limited to: morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and late snack.
Ensure meals are available at the time specified; when unable to deliver meals at the time specified liaise with the Lead Educators at least 15 minutes prior.
Take reasonable care to protect own safety in the workplace and avoid adversely affecting the health, safety and welfare of any other person through any act of omission, neglect or misconduct at work.
Ensure work practices are consistently within Commonwealth and State Legislation and organisational guidelines relating to Occupational Health and Safety, Equal Opportunity and Anti Discrimination in the workplace.
Ensure evacuation drills, lockdown procedures first aid and accident/incident management and reporting are completed.
To remove any unsafe items/equipment until repairs are completed.
To ensure that the kitchen is clean and tidy, ensuring that all cooking utensils are cleaned and returned to place in between meal preparation times.
Ensure the security of the centre at all times.
Ensure Chef's Uniform is clean and neat;
- Wearing of an apron is to be worn at all times whilst preparing and cooking food.
- Hair tied back at all times whilst in the kitchen.
- Wearing of closed in shoes.

Administration

Ensure that an inventory of Kitchen equipment is maintained and that materials are safely stored.
Ensure the reasonable use of limited resources.
Ensure all relevant documentation is up to date.

Stock Control

Responsible for ordering of stock and submitting toCampus Manager for approval.
Maintain a working knowledge of stock available in the kitchen.
Regularly monitor stock and dispose of products, which are past the "used by" date.
Assess stock and dispose of products which are not, of the highest quality.

External and Internal Relationships

Maintain a supportive role with all staff, volunteers and students on a daily basis.
Ensure a close working supportive relationship and effective communication with the licensee, staff and parents in the conduct of the centre.
Represent Woodlands if required, in public forums or professional settings.
Act as an advocate for the provision of quality care, the benefits of the centre and Woodlands.

Other duties.

The Employee will also perform such other duties as are customarily performed by an employee in a casual position in other businesses or enterprises that are the same or similar to that of the Employer, and the Employee will agree to reasonable changes in the Employee's duties.

Acceptance of Position Description

Woodlands would like to employ you as the Chef for our service. By accepting this role you are acknowledging and agreeing to the position description outlined above.

Campus Chef